


Being a Medicine Cat is Tough

by MelatoninMoth



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Arguing, Background Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, LGBTQ Cats (Warriors), LGBTQ Character, Original Cat Clans (Warriors), Original Character(s), Original Character(s) (Warriors), Other, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27171658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelatoninMoth/pseuds/MelatoninMoth
Summary: Sunnywhisker is the medicine cat of a rather small clan. Things should be easy then.. Right?
Kudos: 3





	Being a Medicine Cat is Tough

**Author's Note:**

> Allegiances only include mentioned characters!

**Allegiances**

**Lightclan**

**Leader**

Slatestar - Smokey gray tabby tom

**Deputy**

Brambleberry - Large brown tabby tom

**Medicine Cat**

Sunnywhisker - white cat with ginger face, paws and tail

**Warriors**

Silverstrike - pale gray she-cat

Hawkflight - dark ginger tom

Being the only medicine cat in Lightclan honestly wasn't too hard, compared to the other clans. They were rather small, leaving only a few cats for Sunnywhisker to worry about. The job was relatively slow. 

Usually.

They were already tired from the morning, having spent it collecting tansy and marigold after completely forgetting the stores were low. Their light ginger paws were aching and they still had to _sort_ the stores. They groaned. It felt like a moon until they finally finished up. They were just starting to drag out a squirrel when-

"Sunny! There you are!" They cringed. So much for a meal.

The scent of their leader hit them before they saw him. A mixture of dusty leaf litter, and something sweet. It was the scent all their clanmates had. They nodded a greeting as he brushed his smokey gray pelt against theirs. "Hello Slatestar. What's up?" 

"I need your help with something, kit. Silverstrike's got a thorn."

They tilted their head, abandoning the squirrel. "Where?"

"In her paw, but it's really deep. I think it'll need proper treatment."

Sunnywhisker nodded, and stood up and stretched. Oh. Their paws still seem to be aching. They shook it off, and followed him after grabbing a small bundle of marigold.

The tom led them over to the silver she-cat, who was flexing her paw in annoyance. Without a word, she held it out to the medicine cat expectantly. 

Sunnywhisker set the marigold down and gave it a sniff. "It's deep, but once it's out, you'll be fine with a bit of this!" They tapped the bundle with their paw. Silverstrike just nodded, clearly not enjoying this. Sunny shifted closer, secured the base of the thorn in their teeth, and pulled. The other let out a soft hiss at then sensation. They set the thorn aside, and motioned for her to lap at the wound while they chewed a small poultice. Once it was done, they licked it on.

"Done! Don't put too much pressure on it!"

The she-cat just nodded, and walked away.

"You're welcome," Sunnywhisker muttered.

Slatestar brushed up to them again. "Don't worry about her. She appreciates it, though she doesn't show it." He purred. "Why don't we go for a walk, kit?" Although exhausted, they nodded.

~

The scent of rain was in the air, but the two ignored it as they walked. It seemed it wouldn't come for a while. Sunnywhisker paused to sniff at a fungi growing out of the roots of a tree. They wrinkled their nose. "Ew!" 

Slatestar let out an amused purr. "Aren't you a medicine cat? You should know those stink!" Sunnywhisker shook out their fur with a laugh. "I was curious…" They skipped back to his side and continued their walk.

They didn't notice the raindrops at first. Neither did Slatestar. After a few moments, however, an icy raindrop hit them, and they flinched. Slatestar paused, looking back. His ears pricked as he noticed the rain increasing. Fast.

It was pouring rather quickly. 

He shuffled forward and grabbed the medicine cat by the scruff, dragging them under a rocky outcrop.

"Hey!" They wiggled out of his grip. "I can help myself!" They shook the rain out of their pelt, making their leader step away, ears folding back. They purred mischievously. "It's what you get!"

"Hey! Is that any way to talk to your leader?" Slatestar countered. Sunnywhisker mewed happily. Sunnywhisker and Slatestar were more than just clanmates. He was the closest thing they had to a parent, after theirs left them to fend for themself moons ago. They thanked Starclan he had found them that night.

Sunny sat down. Even with the circumstances that led them there, it was the first time they had really had a moment to rest all day. They closed their eyes, listening to the rain drum against the rocks and trees. They yawned as Slatestar settled next to them.

"Guess we'll wait it out, hm?"

Sunny was about to mew a response when they remembered something.

"No! No! No!" They stood up, fur bristling with stress. "I'm such a mousebrain!"

Slatestar stood after, trying to smooth their fur. "What's wrong?"

"I left borage outside of my den to try. It'll be ruined!" Before Slatestar could respond, they sped off in the direction of the camp, the increasingly muddy ground sucking at their paws.

By the time they skidded into camp, the rain had started to die down, but they didn't slow down on their little mission. They practically stumbled over to the soaked leaves, pulling them off of the flat rock with a sigh. They dragged their paws into their den, putting the leaves back in their place and hoping for the best. They shook out their fur again, and finally, _finally_ stumbled into their nest. The day wasn't over yet, but the medicine cat was exhausted. Maybe they could have a nap…

Sunnywhisker hadn't been dozing long when a loud caterwaul split the air. It was distraught- _terrified._ They stumbled out of their den to be faced with their Clanmate, Hawkflight. He was wide-eyed, red fur bristled every which way, and the scent of blood was in the air. Clearly something bad happened.

"What's going on?" Sunny asked, snapped into reality by the sight.

"It's Brambleberry." He stumbled. "F-Fox, found him.. He's hurt bad." 

After a few heartbeats, Slatestar followed, the huge tabby tom leaning on his shoulder. "I caught them on the way back." He explained.

Sunnywhisker focused on the deputy, his fur was matted with blood, and he was hardly keeping himself up.

"Get him in the den. Now." They ordered.

Slatestar helped him inside and to a spare nest, where Sunnywhisker quickly got to work. Brambleberry's fur was thick, and the cuts weren't deep, but they were numerous. As they turned to their marigold stores, they ran directly into Hawkflight, nervous at the entrance. The normally cold cat seemed like a nervous kitten looking to his mother for guidance.

"Are you injured?"

"I'm fine, but Bramble-"

"Then I need you to step out. Four cats in here is far too many."

"But he needs me-"

"He doesn't even know you're here! Get out and let me treat him! You too, Slatestar."

The leader seemed to comply, then paused. "Aren't you being a bit harsh? Hawk must be worried about his mate-"

"I understand," they interrupted, "but my top priority is treating Brambleberry. He can visit him after. You too. Let your deputy have some space."

"You are my medicine cat." Slatestar said with a nod. "I trust your judgement." 

As he left, Sunnywhisker turned to their store and collected cobwebs and marigold. They licked at the wounds to make sure the bleeding had stopped, before chewing the poultice and sealing it on with cobwebs. They shook out their stress before soaking a patch of moss and carrying it over to the barely conscious deputy. They squeezed the water into his mouth. When satisfied, they eased a poppyseed into his mouth to give him time to sleep. They sniffed over him after that and found no signs of infection. They honestly just wanted to curl up into his warm fur and _sleep._ But they had work to do. 

Sunnywhisker gave Brambleberry's head a comforting lick before heading over to the opening. 

"Hawkflight? You can-" the iron scent hit them again. "...Are you bleeding?"

The red tom looked away. "Well, yes, but-"

 _"But?_ You mousebrain, I could _just-"_ they dug their claws in the ground, taking a breath. As they looked up they saw Slatestar staring in surprise. Sunnywhisker was _never_ aggressive. "I'm sorry, Hawkflight. I'm- I don't know what's wrong with me- I.." They shook their head. "You need m-marigold, for the- yeah," They blinked, feeling dizzy and.. weird. 

"Sunnywhisker?" Hawkflight questioned. "Are you okay?"

When they looked up, they reeled back a bit. "I'm fine!" They answered. "Don't worry about.." Suddenly their whole body felt heavy. They sat down. "..Me." They tried to stand one more time when they suddenly saw the ground coming up to them, _fast._

And then black.

~

When Sunnywhisker awoke, they weren't in their own den. It was- the leader's? They wondered for a moment how they got there before remembering- the fox, their work, and- Hawkflight! They stood up, bursting through the exit and running into their leader.

"Slatestar!"

"Hello, kit." The tom dropped a robin at their paws.

"What? I need to- where's Hawk-"

He hushed them with a wave of his paw. "Marigold poultice right? Hawkflight and Brambleberry are treated. They're together in your den."

Sunny nodded. "Yeah but-"

"What about _you?"_ He asked. "I haven't seen you eat or drink all day. That must be why you passed out."

Sunnywhisker looked at their paws. "Well…"

"Kit. Come on. Head back to my den. I want to keep an eye on you." He nudged the bird forward. "Hawkflight and Brambleberry can keep an eye on eachother. I'll get you some soaked moss to drink from." 

Sunnywhisker's heart swelled with affection for their parental figure and leader. They stepped forward and nuzzled their face into his chest.

"Thank you, Slatestar, I'll try to take care of myself more."

He purred. "You'd better do that, Sunny. I have no idea where Lightclan would be without you."

They somehow purred even louder. Their job was hard sometimes, but.. this is their family.


End file.
